Archer
by Artemis Ignitan
Summary: The land has been deprived of its true heir for too long and it's taking its toll on the people. The current ruler decides that it is now time to find the true heir. The one, however, may be someone whose past may prevent him from claiming his throne. JxA
1. Prolouge: The Society we Live In

**(A/N): Hey, I'm back! After...more than half a year. ; And for all those Pokemon fans who suscribed to me expecting moar Pokemon stories, sorry, but I'm venturing into other fandoms. This one is a Yu-Gi-Oh!GX fanfiction, still shipping/adventure, if you like that sort of stuff. The main pairing here will be Fianceshipping (Judai/Jaden x Asuka/Alexis), although it won't be overly romantic. Japanese names and vocabulary will be used. **

**Lots of thanks to JxAfan for helping me proofread this and offering lots of great support! You rock!**

"Er..."-Talking

_Er..._ -Thoughts

* * *

Archer

Prolouge

It had not rained for many years. In the eighteen years that the Tenjoins had ruled, the heavens had chosen not to bless the parched earth with a single drop of water. Many of the locals had chosen to flee, but many also remained.

The current ruler was new to the throne, only ruling for five years, but in those years, he had faced harsh criticism and ridicule-surely the heavens did not approve of his family? And truly, the ruler mused, he felt that the previous family did nothing to deserve being overthrown, despite their dark past, they had ruled justly. But, because of the massive propaganda his older brother-the previous ruler-had spawned, the populace remembered nothing of the previous family except their dark origins-not even their names were known, even to the rulers themselves. Surely, the people claimed, that even though the rule under the Tenjoins had proved unlucky, it was much preferred that the rulers have a noble upbringing, not a dark and mysterious past…

Hogwash! Had the populace not learned from their mistakes? Surely not…otherwise many more mages would be in power than simply having a ruling class of warriors take care of everything…

But worrying about the legal system would do him no good. Now, he was worrying about an heir. He felt that it was time that his corrupted family listen to the heavens and allow a true heir to step forth. But how could he find a suitable heir…?

He was certain that his son, Fubuki, would not be accepted by the heavens…and he truly doubted putting Fubuki on the throne would be a good idea in the first place, given his…eccentric nature…

But…perhaps…his daughter…

He knew that she was getting along well in years, and she had grown to be beautiful, as well as intelligent, not to mention that she had become quite the mage nowadays. She would be an ideal wife to an ideal heir, perhaps…

She would be the one to help him find the ideal heir, and help to end this accursed drought…

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Alright, class, settle down!"

The class of peasant children grumbled as they slid into their seats. They were a rough bunch, with even the young girls roughhousing and working in the fields along with the boys. Times had fallen hard on the country, and it required much more harsh labor nowadays to grow enough crops just to feed a family or to pay for imported crops. Even compared to the life of the young teacher who stood across from them; the children's lives were much harsher.

"Mou, sensei! The big tournament's today! Why can't we just get a day off?" one of the more energetic boys complained.

"Yeah! We get to see a bunch of warriors and mages kick ass to decide the new ruler of this dump! That's way more important that schoolwork-'specially since most of us won't get any higher than farmers and hunters!" Sadly, there was truth in some of the boy's words, and the teacher knew it. He wondered sometimes why he had chosen to teach here of all places, but he had convinced himself that the children needed him. He knew now that a lot of it was simply imagination.

"Don't forget, they also get to marry Asuka-hime! Isn't that romantic, so many guys fighting over one girl?" one of the more effeminate girls sighed. Several girls sighed with her, despite heavy work in the fields; they did still have a feminine side to them. Many of the boys jeered back or stuck out their tongues and made sounds of disgust. The teacher smiled inwardly at this, he was glad that despite their troubles, the kids were still be able to be kids. But if conditions continued to deteriorate…that might change. All the more reason for the tournament to be held, in his opinion. He was rather looking forward to watching it, but he still had a job to do…

"Sorry, children, but I've got a job to do-"

He stopped for a brief moment, listening to the complaints of the children. He smiled, an idea coming to mind.

"But as a special treat today, let's keep the lesson short."

"Yatta!" Many children shouted that cry.

"And, since we're talking about the tournament, let's use this as an opportunity to talk about the different types of fighters in the arena fighting for the throne and Asuka-hime, ne?"

"Yeah!"

The teacher chuckled warmly. "Alright, then. Now, can anybody tell me what the top ranks of people are? They'll probably be the most people that you'll see that are fighting for the prize."

"That's easy!" one child yelled. "Warriors!"

"Alright, but raise your hand next time. And what sort of uniform, or outfit, do you see them wearing? Include weapons." The same boy raised his hand. "Yes?"

"Um…they usually have heavy armor and they carry a sword and shield, and the shield has their family crest printed on it…oh, and they summon monsters using summoning tattoos on their hands…and they have a familiar, an animal that follows them for show, its to show off power or something…"

"Good, good. Can anyone else name their strengths and weaknesses?" This time a girl raised her hand first. "Yes?"

"They're best in close combat sensei!!" she exclaimed. "They have really good defensive and offensive skills, and they are hard to damage. But because of their heavy armor, they are not as fast as they could be. So a really fast fighter could hurt them if they dodged all the attacks and wore them down. But even that would take a long time because they have so much strength and endurance."

"All right, good job. What sort of monsters can they summon?" Another girl answered the question.

"They summon really powerful monsters with high attack power. They always have a family contract with a certain family of monsters, like the Marufuji heir has a Cyber Style contract."

"Very good explanation, my dear. Can anyone say why they are considered the highest class?" He pointed at another boy this time.

"They're always at the front lines of battle! They do all the heroic fighting and stuff, and are always in the heat of battle. It's really awesome and it shows how much power they have, so everybody recognizes their strength! So they're always stuff like lords and kings and all the higher ups."

The teacher clapped his hands. "Very good, we now know about the warriors. What class of fighters come after the warriors, children?"

"Um, magi…" a shy girl said when the teacher pointed at her. "They do all sorts of attacks, from short-ranged to long-ranged, so they usually aren't in direct close combat. They wear long robes and um…yeah…"

The teacher smiled at her. "Don't be shy, you did an excellent job. Perhaps you can tell us about their strengths and weaknesses?"

"Um…they're really versatile, and they can be all over the place, but they don't have as much power or endurance as warriors, so a few good shots can put them out. They're a lot faster though, and harder to hit because of their spells and lack of armor, so that makes up for it…they usually summon with the aid of a staff or some other tool, which is slower and less specific than a summoning tattoo-which have to be crafted specifically for a family of monsters, but can allow for a greater variety of spells and creatures…"

"Very good. What sort of monsters do they summon?" He pointed to a boy.

"Their monsters aren't as strong as a warrior's monsters, but they have devastating effects. They can also summon spells and traps that can power up their monsters or weaken the opponent's monsters. Magi don't always have a contract with a monster family, so it makes the monsters they summon more unpredictable."

"Good, very good. Why are magi lower down on the social ladder than warriors if they are both so powerful?" Another boy piped up when he was pointed to.

"They aren't usually in direct combat and are usually used only as a support for warriors, like, they would use spells to power up the warrior's monsters or use their own monsters effects or something like that. That's not considered as noble as being on the front lines. But, because of their strong abilities and their monster contracts, they are considered valuable assets, so they still have a good standing in the social ranks."

"Very good. What sort of position do magi hold?" The same boy answered.

"Um…they're usually the second son of a noble family, or a daughter from a noble family, or someone trained from noble stock to protect a warrior. They're also advisors, or judges, or bankers, or any other position that requires knowledge and stuff like that."

"Good work. Can anyone name the one exception to that standard?"

"Um…is it the Emperor Yugi-sama? Usually, a position like that would have a warrior in that seat, but the previous emperor, Kaiba-sama the warrior, gave up his position to Yugi-sama, who's a mage…" the shy girl said.

"Very good! Yugi-sama was one of the few magi in history who was acknowledged as being stronger than the strongest of warriors. We would go into that more, but we'll save that for our next history lesson, perhaps, as there is still one more group of fighters to get through…they are…?" He pointed to a boy who raised his hand.

"Archers, sensei. They're so far down the ladder that they aren't considered of much worth to the nobles…" the boy said.

"Alright, can you describe their appearance?" The teacher pointed to a girl that was near the back of the class.

"They wear hunter's clothes, and they have a bow and quiver. Compared to the other two classes, they are ragged and poor-looking."

"Excellent. Can anyone say their strengths and weaknesses?" A boy was chosen this time.

"They can only attack from long distances, so they can be of some support to that, but in a close combat battle, they're completely defenseless. Plus, when they run out of ammo, they can't really do anything else, so compared to magi and warriors, their use on the battlefield is short-lived."

"Alright then, can anyone say what kind of monsters they summon?"

"Archers don't really summon anything, sensei," a girl said when she was called on. "They have little to no magic power at all and when they do summon something, it's usually a random array of a few weak monsters-compared to what the magi and warriors can do, it's kind of useless."

"Good work, children. The flaws that you see on them on the battlefield, their inadequacy compared to the other fighters, are incidentally the reason why archers carry such little prestige compared to the other two classes. Archers come mainly from our class of people-hunters, traders-a large difference in profit and power compared to the others. As a result, it is often hard for peasants to elevate their status. There is one way, however…does anyone know?"

One boy raised his hand, he had a smug smirk on his face; he apparently knew the answer. So the teacher called on him. "Yes?"

"They can be like my dad. He's an archer that was hired for a lord's squadron. He stays at the castle walls and guards them." The boy smirked as the others "ooh"-ed and "ah"-ed, he was obviously drinking up their praise and satiating his ego. The teacher smiled warmly at the childish show before interrupting.

"Ah, that is correct. It is difficult, however, an archer must be able to summon at least one monster in order to do so, which, as we have already said, is rare. So, I take it that your father can summon a monster…"

"Yeah…but it's not that strong. Still, it's something!"

"It's something, alright. You should be proud. However, on the battlefield, archers are little more than sacrificial pawns used in order to preserve more able fighters, which is probably most likely what will happen to your father…"

The boy pouted and started to look somewhat deflated; he was clearly not pleased with what he had been told.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I am only saying this from an informative point of view; it is my job as your teacher, after all!"

"Yeah, I know," the child said in a sulky voice, but he grinned up at the teacher nonetheless. No harm done, he was still a child, not able to take in the full meaning of the teacher's words. No doubt his mind was filled with thoughts about the tournament.

Speaking of the tournament...

"Ah, I did say that I would end class early today, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did!"

"Mou, sensei, don't go back on us!"

"C'mon, sensei!!"

"Hahahaha…go on, you rascals. Have fun watching people beat on each other and fight over women."

The children laughed as they all rushed out the door, all eagerly anticipating and talking about the tournament; starting all sorts of childish rumors among themselves. Ah, the joys of youth…

The teacher chuckled to himself as he began picking up his supplies, before he noticed that one child had hung behind, standing in the doorway. The teacher took a closer look. Ah, it was the boastful child from before, the one with the father who had secured a position as a lord's archer. He didn't look so prideful now; instead he looked shy, inquiring. It made him look completely different, the teacher thought with mild amusement.

"Ano…sensei?"

"Yes, go on."

"Sensei…do you think any archers would be in the competition…?"

What an odd question. Surely the child must be joking. After the discussion they had today, it was made clear that an archer would not last against a mage or a warrior in a fight; and the difference in wealth made the idea even more ludicrous. There was no way possible that an archer would even be allowed into the arena.

"No, I don't think so."

The boy rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner.

"Yeah, I thought so too. I just thought it would be cool, I mean, that's better than all those romantic fantasies the girls come up with, and it'd give archers a better rep than they already have, and, and…" He deflated. "Aw, forget it. It's never gonna happen."

The teacher smiled.

"It is fine to think such things, so long as you know the reality behind the situation. After all, without dreams, life wouldn't be much fun, now would it?"

The child brightened up instantly.

"Yeah! Thanks, sensei!" He ran out the door, yelling at the other children in the distance to catch up. Again, the teacher chuckled. Children and their fantasies…

Perhaps he should head on over to the competition to check it out as well. Not to see if there would be an archer there, of course.

After all, a peasant archer could never have all the qualities needed to win against a mage or a warrior…much less win a princess'-or a country's-heart.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The coliseum was packed today. Of course, with the event that was happening within those walls, there was no doubt that it would be crowded with as many people as it could hold-and then some.

Today, it was the opening of the royal family's tournament. Lords had been invited from all over the land, as well as the more powerful of the mages. The winner of the tournament would win the prize of the throne and the princess' hand in marriage.

The said princess was sitting in a throne between her father and her brother, not looking very excited over the whole situation. With dusty blonde hair and a similar shade of color in her eyes, she was a rare beauty. Currently dressed in a royal blue gown, the standard color of Lord's stature, despite her being a mage. She herself did not give a royal appearance, her hand supporting her chin as she leaned on the elaborate throne that she sat in. She was clearly bored.

Her brother, sitting on her left, was also not giving any sort of royal appearance at all. He was acting more like a young, excited child, despite being four years her senior. At first glance, they did not look as if they could be related, with his hair and eyes being a deep shade of brownish-black; however, if one observed the way the two acted around each other, it was clear that the two were siblings, and very devoted siblings at that.

"Fubuki, why can't you be serious during something like this?"

"I'll be serious when you stop being bored, Asuka!"

The father, Tenjoin-sama, chuckled in amusement. He treasured every moment when his two children still behaved like children, for there would come a time when they would have to shoulder the responsibilities of their birthright. Asuka had already shouldered some of it, she knew that her judgment was crucial in finding the one heir that would restore their land to its former glory. Behind that bored face, he knew, was a strong queen-to-be, ready to lead by her future husband's side as an advisor and confidant.

"You try being the pig put up for auction!"

At least…he was pretty sure he knew…

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The preliminary rounds had gone quite well. Already, near half of the many contenders had been eliminated, due to either loss or by Asuka's judgment. It was now time for the last round between two hopefuls eyeing the prize. One would be sent home, and the other would join the other successful competitors in the next round.

Now, a warrior came onto the field from one side of the arena, his armor gleaming in the sunlight, sword in one hand, shield in the other. This warrior, Asuka thought, looked the same as all the others-buff, muscular, brimming with pride and arrogance.

She wanted this guy to lose already, and she hadn't even seen the other opponent.

"Let's welcome the glorious challenger, everyone!" the announcer shouted, his voice once strong, now starting to sound ragged and tired. This man was shouting himself hoarse, and would surely be replaced by another peasant coveting the spot that paid well-paid well enough for peasants, anyways. The poor sap was getting himself cheated after suffering like this, Asuka thought. Hopefully, the one she chose to rule by her side would agree with her on this mistreatment of the lower class, and work with her to change it.

"And on the other side, his opponent!" Attention shifted to the other side of the arena, where a person walked onto the stage.

This person immediately got Asuka's attention. He was dressed much differently from the elaborate royal blue armors of the warriors or the ornate yellow robes worn by the magi. This person, for one, was wearing neither armor nor robes, but a ragged black traveler's cloak, the hood covering the face. The person was not entering with any sort of stride or prideful walk, instead, they looked as if they were pushed into the arena, stumbling in at first; then, as they straightened out, turned in circles as they walked towards the center, as if they were trying to take in the entire view of the circular coliseum. When they reached by the announcer's side, opposite of the warrior, the person lifted the hood from their face, revealing the face of a boy around Asuka's age. He had angular chocolate brown eyes that hinted at maturity and wisdom, although now they were widened in amazement and confusion. His hair was oddly colored, a layer of orangey-brown hair on top of a layer of dark brown. The hair itself was spiked, looking almost wild.

The announcer looked confused as well, he did not understand why a contestant wearing such tattered, almost peasant-like, clothing would be in the competition, but he shrugged it off. If he didn't do his job professionally, he wouldn't get paid, after all. He instead faced the warrior.

"Now, challenger, any words to say before you clash with the other hopeful?"

The warrior held up his shield-which held the crest of some sort of green sphere, lined with two curved white lines-and shouted upwards, aiming his words directly at Asuka.

"I, Ayanokouji Mitsuru, swear on my sword that I will win this tournament and your heart, Asuka-hime!"

_Go rot in hell, egotistical-_ Asuka cut of her thoughts before they took any more of a violent turn. She was now hoping fervently that the other boy would beat the warrior. However, she knew that was highly unlikely, impossible even. He appeared to have appeared there by accident, had no visible weapons or armor, and his clothing resembled more of a peasant than anything, which he most likely was.

The outcry was met with various cheers and jeers, the people in the stands getting easily excited by the warrior's vow. How they could still be awed by something that was near similar to the other hundred or so challengers, Asuka didn't know.

The announcer then turned to the boy, who was still looking around in confusion and awe.

"Any words from you, challenger?"

The boy looked at the announcer, his expression serious, before breaking into a stupid sort of grin, his hand rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah, can I get a little help here? I'm kinda lost."

0-0-End-0-0

* * *

**(A/N): So, what do you think, people? Be honest, offer suggestions, flames, whatever. Judai here will be a bit different, he will have season four's appearance and somewhat maturity, but he will retain characteristics from the first three seasons. And yes, Ayanokouji Mitsuru is a character from the series. He only appeared for one episode. If the hint I gave you guys isn't enough, I'll give you one word-TENNIS. :) Anyways, let's hope I can update this one on a regular basis! Later!**


	2. Chapter 1: Accidental Entry

**(A/N): Phew, I managed to finish this before school started...I'm sure high school senior year will be hectic enough to really start slowing down my chapter updates...please don't kill me!! (runs) Read this chapter instead!! (throws it)**

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh GX is not mine. If it was, the final duel would have been Judai vs Haou instead of Judai vs Yugi. :0**

* * *

Archer

Chapter 1-Accidental Entry

"Is he serious?"

"What the hell is going on?"

"Is this some sort of joke?"

These and many other whispers were now passing through the crowd, the whole coliseum alight with dubious murmurs. Even Fubuki was stunned with this unexpected turn of events, and given his eccentric ways, that was saying something. Asuka, on the other hand, was quite interested, this certainly added a bit of flavor to this repetitive tournament.

The announcer was currently babbling incoherently, trying to make sense out of the situation. He eventually regained control of his loose tongue and addressed the smiling teenager.

"L-l-lost, challenger?"

"Challenger? Challenger of what?"

"…Do you know where you are, cha-…er...stranger?"

"Um, not exactly. This is my first time here…"

"Well, how did you get here?"

"Um…" The peasant put a finger to his chin and recounted the tale.

0-0-Magic Card, Flashback, Activate!-0-0

The teenager was walking throughout the town. He had not been in any sort of town or village for quite some time now, and as a result, remembered little of what they were like. He was sure, however, that a town would have more residents than street cats, rouge dogs, and the occasional rat.

He eventually found someone near a large, circular building; they appeared to be heading inside. Rushing, he managed to catch up to the person and tap them on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, but I was hoping to find some merchants here. Am I in the wrong place or something?"

The other person-a little boy who looked positively glowing with excitement-grinned up at him.

"Actually, you're in the right place today! Everyone is in the coliseum, right there!" The boy pointed to the round, circular building behind them. "There's supposed to be a BIG tournament today! All the merchants inside are offering special discounts and stuff, so I betcha today is a great day to go shopping!"

"Oh really? Today must be my lucky day, then. Thanks!" the teenager grinned, dropping a few coins into the boy's hand as thanks. The boy became even more ecstatic, if that was possible.

"Thanks a lot!" the boy yelled as he ran into the large, arching doorway. The other chuckled, before following in after him.

He did not see which direction the boy had gone, the room was almost empty save for a desk where a warrior stood, inquiring directions from a peasant. The peasant in question looked none too reliable, seemingly spaced out.

"Where am I supposed to go to enter the tournament?" the warrior demanded, pounding his armor-clad arms on the table as an act of intimidation. The peasant sitting at the desk, however, merely yawned, as if bored. He had most likely seen the same act dozens of times, and his body probably had shifted to autopilot.

"Second door on the right, follow the corridor, and stay in the line…" the peasant droned in a bland tone, pointing down a hallway by the desk. The warrior "hmph"-ed arrogantly and strode off down the hall.

The teenager figured he could ask the peasant for help. He rather doubted that the peasant could offer any valid help, but it was better than none, and there was no one else to ask. He walked up to the desk.

"Excuse me, but could you tell me how to get to the spectator's area in the tournament?"

"Second door on the right, follow the corridor, and stay in the line…" the peasant droned once more, perplexing the teenager. He had repeated the exact same thing!

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes!" the peasant snapped irritably, although still somehow retaining that bored, autopilot look. The teen didn't know how it was possible. Clearly, he wouldn't be getting any more help from this man. Perhaps he would follow the peasant's directions and ask help from the others in the corridor. He was sure that if he went any other way, he would get lost in the large building.

0-0-Turn End!-0-0

"And that's what happened!" the teenager finished, the stupid grin back on his face once more.

It seemed that the whole stadium was stupefied at the tale; although whether they were taken aback by the tale itself or the apparent simplicity of the one who told it. He seemed oblivious to the tension that he was creating in the stadium.

"Ah-ah-ah…" the announcer blabbered, trying to regain his footing. "But, didn't you find any other people to talk to? By the sounds of things, you must have walked into the room of waiting competitors!"

"Well, there wasn't anybody there! I was standing in some sorta empty room! And then all of a sudden these people came in, muttering something about lack of challengers…" The teenager seemed lost in thought at this point for a brief second before resuming. "Then, they saw me, and before I could ask them anything, they grabbed my arms and dragged me along…and then the next thing I knew, I was here!" Despite what the words implied, the teen was not protesting or defending himself at all, he was still smiling.

The stadium, on the other hand, was anything but.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Tenjoin-sama buried his head in his hands and groaned.

"Incompetent fools…I guess this means that Ayanokouji-san will have to pass on by default…"

Asuka would not have that.

"Wait, Tou-sama."

"Yes?"

"This looks interesting. I want to see how it plays out. Please, Tou-sama?"

"Well…"

"I kinda want to see what happens too, Tou-san!" Fubuki interrupted, ignoring any and all formalities when addressing his father.

"Er…" He was used to his son defying formalities, but his sister backing him up was rare.

"Tou-sama, I do have my say in this, and I say that we should let this go on. You DID say that my judgment was crucial and a big part of this tournament."

"Hah…that I did. All right then." Despite the reluctant tone in his voice, he was secretly was proud of his daughter for sticking to her point and defending it. She would be a skilled negotiator when her time came. He relaxed in his throne and observed the fight below.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Ayanokouji was not happy. Here was his chance to show the princess his power and might, and yet he was up against a peasant! This would not do. Unfortunately, it was all he had. So, he decided to make the best out of this bad situation.

He didn't know that what he would say next would completely change the outcome of this match.

"Peasant!" he snarled, trying to look as impressive as he possibly could. "What right do you have to tread on this sacred battlefield?"

"Huh?" The teenager only looked confused, not the slightest bit afraid.

_Alright, not the best of starts_… Ayanokouji thought to himself.

"This battlefield can only be tread by the best of fighters! A peasant like you would never have what it takes to even step on this place!"

"Um…didn't I already do that?" the teenager pointed out sheepishly, stupid grin back on his face.

Ayanokouji snarled at the unintended jibe.

"You weren't invited here! You could never beat me or any other fighter here!"

At this, the countenance on the peasant boy's face changed. He no longer looked confused or idiotic. Now, he seemed…almost excited.

"Are you challenging me?" he inquired, still grinning.

"Hmph! As if you could be any sort of challenge! It's not worth my time to fight a lowlife like you!"

"Aw, so you're not gonna duel me?"

"Tch! Why should I?"

"Um…" Ayanokouji was both baffled and amused by the fact that the peasant actually took the time to think of an answer to the rhetorical question.

"You're scared?" the teen asked, grinning widely.

"WHAT?" Ayanokouji was now seeing red. He couldn't believe that someone like that…that…fool peasant actually dared to call him, a valiant warrior, scared of fighting a weaponless village idiot!

"Well, I can't think of anything else…" the teen replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"ARE YOU ACTUALLY IMPLYING THAT I'M FRIGHTENED OF YOU, BOY?"

"Er-"

"I'LL WIPE THE FLOOR WITH YOU, BRAT, FOR DEFACING ME IN FRONT OF ASUKA-HIME! COME ON, FIGHT ME!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

_He's defacing himself enough already without that peasant's help_… Asuka thought to herself. She was rather amused by how oblivious the peasant seemed to be with the entire situation. However, she was also sure that he couldn't be oblivious for much longer. After all, with an egotistical warrior looming over your head and after your blood, the instincts just screamed to run. She wouldn't be surprised if that peasant hightailed it out of there on the first chance he got. But for some reason…she just felt that something would happen.

Something that would change everything.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The peasant froze somewhat when that last yell blasted past his face. The crowd was sure, that at any moment, he would run off screaming.

They were surprised to see that instead, he was still smiling. But something was different about it. It was no longer a stupid or happy grin. Instead, it seemed to be a confident smirk, much too similar to that excited smile from earlier.

"All right, then! I never back down from a challenge!"

The whole stadium seemed to all react in unison, recoiling in shock while surprised murmurs echoed across the circular arena. Surely this was not possible, a peasant challenging a noble?

Apparently it was.

Even Ayanokouji seemed taken aback by the response, but he quickly recomposed himself and resumed leering at the teen.

"You'll wish you had run while you had the chance."

The announcer seemed lost for words until Ayanokouji yelled at him. "Well, start the duel already! It's been long overdue!"

"Ah-ah…r-right." He raised a hand in the air to grab the attention of the crowd. "Let the final duel begin! Ayanokouji Mitsuru versus…ah…what was your name, stranger?"

The teen turned to the announcer, and addressed him in a loud energetic voice that put the announcer's voice to shame.

"Ah, I never said it, did I? I'm Yuki Judai!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Asuka was pleasantly surprised. It appeared that her debate with her father had paid off quite well. This Yuki Judai person…he would make this fight interesting to watch, she was sure of that.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Ayanokouji Mitsuru versus Yuki Judai, duel start!" the announcer shouted, before scurrying out of the arena, letting an official referee take his place.

Ayanokouji grinned and slipped on his helmet, completing his armor.

"I doubt anything you have could pierce this armor. Do you even have any weapons, peasant?"

Judai simply grinned. "'Course I do, I'd be crazy to accept a challenge without 'em!" With that, he took off the ragged black travelers' cloak that had covered his body.

Judai had a lean, wiry body, nothing like any warrior's muscle. Any muscle he may have had, however, was hidden, as his loose clothing effectively hid any detail of his body. His clothing itself looked as ragged as his cloak, consisting of a long-sleeved white shirt under a bright red sleeveless vest, which was left open and long black pants that barely went down past his ankle. On his feet were plain brown sandals. The left hand was covered with a black fingerless glove. Lashed to his back with a strip of leather were three quivers. Only one of the quivers was left open, a plain leather quiver with ordinary looking arrows. The other two quivers looked odd: one decorated with many brightly colored feathers; the other colored a deep black, with ornate golden designs rounding the edges. Hanging on the quivers was a wooden bow, looking quite ordinary except for the many colored feathers on each end.

Taking one of the arrows and spinning it merrily in his right hand, he grinned.

"Let's have a fun duel!"

Ayanokouji was even more furious after hearing that remark. Was that boy taking him so lightly as to suggest that this battle would be fun? He lashed out with his sword, yelling a battle cry as he ran towards the lanky teenager. Swinging his sword down, he struck at an angle that would have cleaved Judai in two…had he not jumped away from the spot.

Judai had landed on Ayanokouji's sword arm, the armor making it quite easy to stand on for someone of his stature. He was only there for a few seconds, still merrily spinning the arrow like some sort of baton; before throwing it downwards with a surprising amount of force.

To everyone's surprise, Ayanokouji let out a scream of pain as the arrow easily pierced the armor, embedding itself into his shoulder. Judai then quickly vaulted off the injured man's arm, leaping off with a sort of back-flip. Once he landed back on the ground, he tugged at something in the air, and the arrow was suddenly launched out of the warrior's shoulder; landing back into Judai's open hand, where he spun it once again. As he spun it, a crimson substance could be seen flying off the arrow, splattering onto the ground. The same substance could be seen leaking out from the small hole that the arrow had pierced in the armor.

No one in the audience could believe it. The peasant had not only managed to avoid the attack, but successfully managed to get the first strike against the warrior and injure him. Not to mention how rapidly he had done it. It was something completely unheard of.

Ayanokouji growled, holding onto his shoulder with his other arm, the blood starting to leak profusely. He would have to get this armor cleaned soon after the fight, lest it rust.

"What sort of trickery is this? How could that arrow fly on its own? And how could it pierce this armor?"

Judai waggled the arrow cheekily before holding it straight up. The remaining blood leaked down the shaft before coming to the brown end feathers. As it leaked off, instead of dripping down to the ground, it seemed to follow a straight line, leaving a thin crimson line behind it leading from the bottom of the arrow.

"Not trickery. Wires. Helps me to keep my ammo longer."

"And what of this armor? The wooden arrowheads of peasants should not be able to break it!"

"Who said the arrowhead was wooden?" Judai pointed to the arrowhead, which, now free of the blood that had stained it, was now glinting in the sunlight in the same way that Ayanokouji's sword and armor did.

"W-what? A steel arrow tip? How is that possible? Only archers who protect lords have those! Peasants like you can't afford metal objects, considering how hard it is to ship that stuff from the mines!

Judai simply started spinning the arrow again, this time by the near-invisible wire.

"I have my ways of getting metal." He shrugged, as if it wasn't all too important.

Ayanokouji growled, wondering what he could mean by that.

"It's still only an arrow, though. How could it pierce my armor like that?"

Judai's sudden change in facial expression unexpectedly portrayed the wisdom that his angular eyes seemed to hint at. "The thing about arrows is that all the force is concentrated on the tip, so that makes it much stronger. With enough force behind it, an arrow could pierce through anything that the arrowhead can cut through. An arrow hitting the right spot can be just as deadly as a sword, ya know. And judging by how much you're bleeding, I'd say that I hit the right spot."

At that moment, Ayanokouji's vision wavered. That brat had hit the right spot, alright. He reckoned that a major artery had been struck, and now a lot of blood was being lost each and every second. It would only leave a few minutes for him before he passed out from lack of it.

_I don't want to use this on someone like him. But I may not have a choice!_

Ayanokouji lifted up his uninjured arm, the one holding the shield, and held it forward, palm facing Judai as he dropped the shield. It was the typical summoner's stance, where the person summoning would brace themselves for the force of the energy involved with summoning. It took much magic power to summon monsters, and when they did, they would often come forth with a burst of energy similar to an explosion. This was the reason that warriors would put summoning tattoos on their palms, so they could hold the energy as far as they could while still controlling it within their bodies.

He was about to summon the monster that was the reason for his family emblem: Legendary Big Server, a large tennis player with metal limbs and an overlarge racket. His whole palette of monsters and spells focused around the monster and the theme it represented. It was a weak monster, but it would be enough to take care of a peasant like him. He may have been exceptionally skilled with that arrow, but that wouldn't help against a monster, which were immune to all human-made weapons.

However, before he could even begin to gather energy to the tattoo, he felt a piercing pain in his palm. Looking at it, he could see the very same arrow that Judai had been swinging, now embedded in his hand. It had gone straight through, the arrow tip piercing through the opposite end, gleaming crimson. It took him a few seconds to register that it actually had happened. Glancing past the injured palm over at Judai, he noticed that his arm had extended, as if he had just thrown the projectile.

He couldn't believe that the peasant had managed to pierce his armor with an arrow, not once, but twice! It was near impossible to be able to get the arrow to move fast enough to acquire enough force to pierce steel if it wasn't fired with a bow. But, this boy…he hadn't touched the bow at all during the fight; it was still on his back. How could he have enough strength to throw an arrow with the same amount of force that an average archer would have gotten with a bow? Only warriors would have trained enough to have that sort of physical strength…

And how did he know to aim at the summoning tattoo? It was common knowledge that warriors had it on their palms; but most peasants believed that the tattoos could not be stopped. It was only known amongst the higher ups that the tattoos were actually blood seals that were written with a special ink mixed with the summoner's blood. Blood seal contract tattoos were delicate and had to be drawn with exact precision, if not, the whole contract would be rendered null and void. If they were ruined with any sort of wound, the contract would be lost. How this peasant knew this elite secret, he didn't know.

Ayanokouji screamed and grasped his palm when Judai pulled at the wire again, yanking the arrow harshly from it, ripping through his flesh. He was certain that the summoning tattoo on his hand was useless. He would have to rely on what he had left: his sword, his armor, and his rapidly waning physical strength. Lifting the sword with both hands he began charging at Judai, his speed diminished due to his blood loss.

Judai grinned again, pulling out yet another arrow. He crossed them both in front of his face, before throwing them towards Ayanokouji. They flew in an arc, crossing each other just before they reached his sword. They crossed over his wrists driving themselves into the ground at Ayanokouji's feet, causing him to stop.

"Hah, you may have stopped me, but you missed! I can easily change direction and get to you!" he screamed in triumph, even when his vision began to waver.

Judai only grinned.

"You forgot what I put on the end of my arrows, didn't you?" His hands were clenched tightly, as if holding something. Ayanokouji could see a thin sliver of light flash briefly as the sun glinted off something. His eyes widened in realization as Judai gave a sudden tug on what he was holding.

_He had wires on those arrows! _Ayanokouji cried in his mind as he felt something push his wrists downwards, the rest of his body being pulled down by the sudden movement. Now that he looked at it, he could see that the wires had crossed over his wrists, and when Judai pulled on them, they would push downwards, driving his wrists downwards as well…and with the arrows firmly embedded in the ground, it would ensure that the wires stayed in place and would allow Judai to easily pin him down.

_How clever…and how misleading. Those wires are so thin that it would take a trained eye to notice them before it's too late…not to mention that he must have practiced quite a lot to be able to throw arrows with that sort of precision and strength. I can only imagine what he could have done with that bow if he had used it…_

Ayanokouji let out a yell of pain as his body fell to the ground, weighed down by his armor and exhaustion. He let out an undignified "oof" when Judai rammed a foot onto his back, pinning him down as he held onto the two wires tightly, effectively binding his wrists together on the floor. He groaned, knowing that with the blood loss, he would be too weak to break free, and he would most likely pass out at any second. He had lost. He let his head fall to the ground.

"I yield…" he moaned, trying to salvage any dignity and honor he had left by conceding defeat when it was obvious that he would not win. The referee received the message, and stepped forward to deliver the message to the crowd in a booming voice. The crowd reacted in surprise and shock, murmurs echoing across the stadium instead of cheers.

Looking up, he could see the peasant looking down on him, joyful grin on his face as he made a sort of hand sign at him, pointing at him with his middle and index finger whilst winking.

"Gotcha! That was a fun duel!"

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Asuka's eyes widened in surprise as she watched the medic magi carry Ayanokouji off the field for treatment. She had never expected this to happen. Yes, she had been hoping for this to happen, but she had never actually thought that it would have happened. This peasant…no…Judai…he was much more than she imagined.

Her brother was also stunned, but quickly got over it, cheering for Judai's victory like a little child. Her father's brows had furrowed in thought. He turned to his daughter, looking at her with a serious expression.

"Asuka-chan. Do you think that this peasant boy should continue in the tournament?"

She gave him a look of disdain.

"Are you considering eliminating a fighter solely on status, father?"

"Child, do you know what will happen if a peasant is allowed to run for a position of honor? It will be considered a blow against the royalty, a radical position. The peasants may rise up in potential rebellion, thinking that they too, deserve a chance like this. It will disrupt the peace and order that we have in this system."

"But isn't the tournament supposed to help us find the one that can restore peace? You said it yourself, only the true heir can appease the heavens. And isn't it the fault of the nobles for being power-hungry and holding all the wealth to themselves, not allowing the peasants any more than they need to survive, and even then depriving them of even more at times! There is such a large gap between the rich and the poor that it is impossible for animosity to not exist between social classes! And it is humans prizing power over human life itself that is to blame! This social system is part of the reason why the land is in turmoil right now, and letting a worthy fighter in, even if he is a peasant, will allow a step forward in the right direction, and ending this class inequality!" Asuka then stood up, to deliver her final judgment to the crowd.

Tenjoin-sama looked up at his daughter with amazement and pride. His daughter was very strong-willed, and wise indeed, seeing what he could not.

Asuka's standing up drew the attention to the surprised crowd, who silenced themselves immediately. She addressed the archer from up high, her voice echoing across the coliseum.

"Yuki Judai. Your appearance in this tournament has been unprecedented and disrupting. An accident has brought you into this arena, and a challenge from a high-ranking warrior brought you into battle.

"Yet, you handled the fight gracefully, fighting with foresight, tactics, and cleverness; allowing you to outmatch an opponent that was leagues away from you in terms of wealth, strength, and power. On the battlefield, it is apparent that you would be quite the opponent, despite your low class. You have exceeded everyone's expectations of you today, and I am sure that more power lies within you than what you showed today.

"What I am about to ask you is probably something that is beyond anyone's wildest imagination. I, Tenjouin Asuka, heir to the throne, am asking you, Yuki Judai, a peasant archer, to compete alongside noble warriors and magi in a bid for the most coveted and highest position in this land: the throne beside my own as ruler!"

With that statement, an outbreak of astonished statements spread across the crowd, most expressing outrage and disbelief that a virtual unknown from the lowest position in the land would be allowed into the most noble of competitions. Eventually, the crowd's noise escalated into a roar of defiance, yelling about how the princess could make such a foolish position.

Asuka raised her hand, irritated by the narrow-sightedness of her future subjects.

"Silence!" And with that, the crowd quieted down again, focusing on her. She looked again at Judai, who was staring at her with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face; his angular eyes narrowed and his mouth set into an analytical frown.

"Yuki Judai, what is your answer? Will you take up the mantle as competitor?"

Judai paused, lost in thought, before his hand reached behind his head and started scratching it sheepishly, a stupid grin on his face again.

"Well, I can't say I ever expected this to happen. I came into town hoping to trade goods, and find myself in a competition like this…"

The crowd muttered in agreement, silencing themselves when they noticed that Judai was speaking again.

"But I had a good duel today. It has been a long time since I have been able to fight against another opponent like I did today. It was a fun experience."

Again, the crowd was murmuring, how could the archer see life or death duels as fun?

"I can't say that I am interested in the prize. I am content with the way I am living now. However, I would like to be able to meet more strong fighters like Ayanokouji. I want to be able to enjoy a fight like that again."

Judai looked up at Asuka, and smiled; a warm, friendly smile that seemed to draw her in. It was almost radiant, the way his face seemed to light up.

"Asuka, I accept your challenge!"

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**(A/N): Aiiiii, I hope I kept Judai in character. It's hard to make him seem both smart and stupid at the same time...ToT**

**Aggh, and the first day of school was hectic. I already have an extensive Calculus homework assignment, a Literature project due on Tuesday and essay on Friday, a Calculus unit test on Tuesday, Physics is speeding up like hell, not to mention all the other classes...ugh. I doubt I'd be able to even WORK on it until at least next Wednsday. X/ Sorry, guys. I wanted to get this up before school started so you woudn't have to wait too long for something...I hope its enough for you guys to not chase after me or anything. (sneaks off)**


	3. Chapter 2: Qualified or Not?

**(A/N): Yes, I managed to cough out something whilst in between Physics and Calculus. Hopefully, it'll be to all ya'll's liking. Both my beta, _AxJfan_, and I have been quite busy with schoolwork, so I'm glad we got to cough out anything at all. Thanks again for coming through, fellow writer! (insert me shameless plug for _AxJfan_'s brilliant stories here)**

**Disclaimer: It is obvious that I do not own GX or any of the characters within except OC's. Why do I bother writing this down, then? Well, it's to try and amuse people by inserting witty jokes that phail immesurably.**

* * *

Archer

Chapter 2-Qualified or Not?

Asuka still couldn't believe that today hadn't been a dream. Surely, what she had seen was impossible, a dream.

And yet, when she had passed by the hospital ward to give the obligatory condolences to those who had lost, she had seen Ayanokouji in the corner with the two telltale wounds on his hand and shoulder. It couldn't be denied.

A peasant archer had really appeared in the stadium that day, out of nowhere, and defeated a noble warrior. A weak one, she was sure, but regardless, such a thing had never been heard of before. She headed to her quarters, relieved that she no longer had to deal with the incompetent fools that had lost.

What was even more surprising, she mused, was that the archer…Yuki Judai, he had called himself…didn't seem to be fighting at his full strength. She was sure of it. Sitting at her desk, she made a quick mental checklist of clues that she had spotted.

The first hint was obvious. Archers were useless without a bow, without the additional power that was allowed within the tension of the bowstring, the arrow would never fly fast enough to pierce human skin from a distance, not to even mention the steel armor that warriors wore. Yet, Judai had not even touched his bow once; easily piercing armor from a distance with just his hands alone. How much power would the arrow fly with if he had used the bow? That was something she couldn't fathom…and she wasn't sure if she wanted to.

The second hint was also quite clear: the decoration on his weapons. Peasants often put bird feathers on the edge of the arrows to help them fly straight, but often, few feathers were spared from the hunts for replacements, often opting to use as many feathers as they could for clothing and crafts for trade. Only archers assigned to noble guards would have the luxury of decorating their bows and quivers. And yet, he had had feathers on both his bow and one of his three quivers.

Which brought her to her third clue: why did he have more than one quiver? And why were they so ornately decorated, particularly the black and gold one? That one gave of a regal aura and yet…it felt slightly threatening to her too. She felt unexplainable shivers down her spine as she remembered it. Shaking her head and returning to her checklist, she noted that only the ordinary looking leather quiver had been opened and used; the other two decorated quivers had remained closed throughout the entire battle. Why was that so? Was there something unique with those arrows?

The last item on her checklist was something that wasn't as obvious as the last three, in fact, she felt rather silly and paranoid just considering that fact. Yet, it nagged at her.

His clothing.

There was nothing unusual at first glance; it had been ragged and ordinary peasant's fare. What bugged her was a minor detail: the sleeves. They had been long and covered the entire arm.

She knew that it was summertime in the land, and the weather would be extremely hot during this time of the year, especially more so in recent years due to the intensifying drought. Peasants during this time of year would often be seen with short-sleeved shirts, or even no shirts, in vain attempts to keep themselves cooler while working in the fields. Seeing Judai with long-sleeved shirts bugged her, he would surely be hot in that clothing, even with it being so bright and reflective.

Was he hiding something under those sleeves?

She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. All these questions were giving her a headache. She wanted them answered. But how could she do that? She was, after all, both the prize and judge of the competition. To pay special attention to one participant, especially if he was an accidental entry that seemed to have no proper qualifications, would have been seen as unsightly and improper. Tapping her finger on the desk, she racked her brains for any sort of plan that would help. After a solid ten minutes of aimless thinking, she suddenly stood up, a determined glint in her eyes.

She needed to talk with Tou-sama.

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Tenjoin-sama sat with the royal council, head in his hands as he ignored what they had to say. He knew that they were furious with him for allowing Asuka to accept the peasant boy into the competition. He never listened to those old windbags anyways, in his opinion; they had lost his respect the day they had chosen to overthrow the old royal family.

The day that they had chosen to follow his power-crazed brother…

"Really, Tenjouin-sama, you spoil that girl of yours too much. What in that mind of yours said that it was alright for her to have her way?" An old woman had spoken this time, irritating him with her clipped voice and carefully chosen words. She was one of the most irritating people on this council to him, sticking with the old and traditional ways that had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Another one of the voices cut through his thoughts, a middle-aged man's voice this time.

"Tenjouin-sama, I know that it is wrong for me to intrude on how you treat your children, but-"

"And yet you still choose to nag me about how I treat them every single time you get a chance, Daiki-san. Just because you lost out on your chance to raise potential heirs, you wish to manipulate mine. I won't let you do that."

"Nonsense, Tenjouin-sama, I only wish for this country to have the most qualified rulers it can possibly have," Daiki spoke back, his voice dripping with false concern. Tenjouin-sama scowled internally, he despised this man, the one that had served alongside his brother during the period of oppressive rule. He had been promised the throne by his brother, but had been denied it by the council, who wished for the bloodline to remain unchanging and pure, not wanting the country to turn over hands twice in the same generation.

"You mean rulers who act as puppets for you, Daiki-san," Tenjouin-sama spoke calmly back, placing a slight venomous tone on Daiki's name. "I don't want my children to be cold, unfeeling, and greedy, like this generation. I want them to have open minds so that they will be able to serve the people best."

"Are you unwell, Tenjouin-sama? Surely I did not hear you say that you wish for your children to serve the people?" Daiki's tone seemed to get more and more mocking by the second. This was no longer a meeting. It was a debate.

"I am feeling quite well, Daiki-san," Tenjouin-sama replied testily.

"I do not think you are, Tenjouin-sama. For it is the people's job to serve the nobles. We do, after all, protect their fields, govern their towns, and bring prosperity to their lands. Our work is important, and in return, they must provide for us. It is the law of the land, after all."

Tenjouin-sama stood up, slamming his fists on the table.

"Prosper?! Have you seen the state that this land is in?! The crops are dying, the heavens refused to yield even a drop of water, the people are leaving, and those who stay are dying of starvation and overwork as we speak! They can barely make enough to feed themselves, let alone the nobles who ride on their backs! And what have our class done to remedy that? Nothing! We continue to siphon more and more of their belongings from them! We're treating them no better than slaves! And what makes it worse is people like you, making it sound like everything is wonderful, even convincing the suffering people out there that what they are doing is for their own benefit, when really, it's all for ours!"

Tenjouin-sama abruptly turned around, storming for the door.

"Tenjouin-sama!" the old woman's voice cried out croakily. "The meeting is not yet finished! We have not reached a conclusion on what to do with the peasant boy!"

"This meeting was over before it even started!" Tenjouin-sama roared back, looking over his shoulder, not slowing down. "I have made my decision! The boy will remain in the competition, whether he be noble or not!"

"Tenjouin-sama, I fear that you may be making a wrong decision in the spur of the moment," Daiki's voice echoed from the other side of the room. "The boy is not qualified. He will sully the tournament's royal purpose."

Tenjouin-sama stopped, still not turning around.

"The 'royal purpose', as you so finely phrased it," he gritted out, in a voice that was deadly serious and froze everyone in the room, "was to find the true heir of this land that will bring it back to its more prosperous times. Not," and with that he turned around, his hair covering his eyes as he spoke, "to find you another puppet to control as you see fit. If that boy doesn't fit that standard, he will soon fall to another, more worthy opponent. But if he does," and with that, he raised his head, revealing eyes of dusty blond, glinting with that same determination that burned within his daughter's bright eyes.

"Then Asuka will marry him, and nothing-not even you self-serving aristocrats-will stop that from happening."

And with that, he left the room.

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Asuka walked the halls, looking for the person who she was seeking. She had not found Tou-sama in his chambers, and so was confused on where to go next.

She had passed the hall leading to the Council's chambers, when she heard a loud slam, startling her out of her reverie. She looked back, only to find the person who she had been looking for storming out of the hall with a furious scowl on his face.

Asuka sighed. She hated it when Tou-sama went into the Council's chambers; he always came out with that same expression. It didn't help that his facial features had been passed down to Fubuki, everything exact except for the eyes, which she had inherited. Seeing his face in fury was like seeing a furious Fubuki…which both weirded her out and frightened her, because she had almost never seen him angry.

Her sigh seemed to have brought Tou-sama back to his senses, however, as he looked at her when he heard it, and smiled warmly. Asuka walked up to him and allowed him to give her a hug, despite that she was much too old for that now. It would have looked to others that he was comforting her, but it was quite the opposite.

Tou-sama gave a long heaving sigh before letting his daughter go; she steadied herself and began to break the ice.

"Talking with those old geezers again?"

"Now, Asuka-chan, you know I taught you better than that."

"You taught me to speak my mind, Tou-sama, not flatter to please."

"Hahahaha. That's my girl."

"Was it about Judai?"

"Yes, it was." Tou-sama gave her a piercing look that seemed to both analyze and tease. "I see that you're on a first name basis with the peasant boy already."

Asuka turned slightly red.

"I don't know why I call him that. It just seems natural. I think it's because he had the audacity to call me just Asuka, and not add any honorifics at all to it. It's like he already sees us as equals, or perhaps he just doesn't care about that sort of thing. It only feels right to respond in a similar manner."

"I see. I have no problem with that, so long as he continues to prove himself. Now, what is it that you want?"

"You can tell that I wanted something, Tou-sama?"

"Asuka-chan, I've known you for all eighteen years of your life. I can tell if you want something. You always steel your face up and your eyes focus in on whoever you're requesting something from. So serious…." He broke off at that point to chuckle, during which Asuka mock pouted in mild embarrassment. "…Anyways, what was it that you wanted?"

"Tou-sama, I want to test out the competitors a little bit more."

"Oh, and what did you have in mind?"

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All the highest ranked warriors in the castle had found themselves summoned away from their posts and in front of the princess's chambers. Why, they knew not, until they had all filed in and found her seated at her desk with a regal expression on her face that commanded attention. A small stack of paper slips was positioned in front of her. To her right was her brother, a goofy expression on his face as usual. To her left was her father, who seemed to be stepping back and allowing his daughter to take command.

"Each of you, take a piece of paper off the stack. You will be testing the person that will be on the stack, to see if they have the qualities necessary to continue on in the tournament. You will be judging their capabilities in terms of tactics, ability, and manner. Out of all the warriors in the castle, I have chosen you because I believe that you have enough experience and morality to judge accurately and fairly. I trust that you will not let me down."

All the warriors bowed in unison and quietly took a slip of paper off the stack, exiting the room immediately afterwards. The final warrior remaining was one of the highest ranked warriors in the castle, due to him not only specializing in just warrior skills, but also had some mage abilities as well. He had come from a foreign country as a diplomat, but he had chosen to become loyal to the Tenjoin family after seeing their prowess and Tenjoin-sama's ideals. He still wore the same style of dress that had been worn in his native country which came across as odd and somewhat feminine to others-even to the point of his being called an ugly woman at some points. He had a somewhat aristocratic attitude, only wanting to train those who he felt had potential, often mistreating others that he did not favor. However, despite those flaws, Asuka respected him as an excellent and patient teacher, one that deserved respect.

"Chronos-sensei, thanks for accepting the request to do this for me."

Chronos de Medici stepped forward, his blonde wig-like ponytail flapping somewhat behind him as the pink frills that he had so flamboyantly added to his blue trench coat bounced along with it. He took the last paper from the desk.

"It is no problem, Signora Asuka. I would gladly do anything to serve the Tenjoin family, na na no ne!" His purple-colored lips silently mouthed off the name on the paper as he read it to himself, before they opened wide in shock.

"Yuki Judai, na na no ne?! Are you sure that it is a fair fight, pairing me up with this peasant, na na no ne?"

"Yes, Chronos-sensei, I feel that the fight is more than fair. I feel that he actually may be hiding some skills from us."

"…If Signora Asuka says so, I trust your word. I still can not say that I have no misgivings on this matter, na na no ne."

"As long as you judge him fairly, I can accept that."

"I can tell you this, though, Signora Asuka. If this boy wins my approval, I shall do my best to teach him as I taught you, na na no ne!"

Asuka smiled. She knew that Chronos-sensei had a scrap of decency within him, or she wouldn't have chosen him for the task.

"Thank you, Chronos-sensei."

Chronos bowed and left the room, after which her father turned to her.

"You rigged it so that Yuki would face off with Chronos, didn't you?"

Asuka looked up at him.

"Yes. I feel that Chronos-sensei can make the best judgment of whether he can make it through or not. And even if he does let his aristocratic attitude get the better of him, I still have the final say."

Asuka then stood up and turned around to look out the window.

_Judai, I shouldn't be thinking this considering the situation, but for some reason, I hope you pass. I can't help but feel that there's something about you that needs to be seen._

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**(A/N): Well, that's it. A small announcement before we go... **

**Daiki-san was a sort of last minute addition. I planned for him to be simply a faceless council member, but somehow he gained an identity and a bit of flesh during the chapter. This might turn out for the better, as I only have ideas for the beginning and end of the fic, with only a few stepping stones in between that are far apart from each other. If anyone has ideas on what to do with this unexpected character to give some more substance to the story, you can send 'em in, 'cause I'm clueless as well. NOTE: IF YOU DO SEND THEM, PLEASE SEND THEM BY MESSAGING ME, NOT PUTTING THEM IN A REVIEW WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE THEM. **

**Other than that, I have nothing else to say, 'cept that typing all of Chronos' "na na no ne"'s amused me to no end, although I'm sure I'll tire of them soon enough. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! **


End file.
